Published Mar 21. 1999 - 25 years ago
Updated or edited Aug 26. 2020

Carrie Stevens patterns

No page featuring New England Streamers would be complete without a portion dedicated to Carrie G. Stevens, of Madison, Maine. Mrs. Stevens is the originator or the Grey Ghost, one of the most well-known and effective New England Streamer patterns to have been tied, and still a popular choice as a trolling and casting streamer today.

No page featuring New England Streamers would be complete without a portion dedicated to Carrie G. Stevens, of Madison, Maine. Mrs. Stevens is the originator or the Grey Ghost, one of the most well-known and effective New England Streamer patterns to have been tied, and still a popular choice as a trolling and casting streamer today.
The story behind the origination of the Grey Ghost is well known. Carrie, the wife of Maine Guide Wallace Stevens, took a break from her camp chores and tied a streamer which would resemble a small baitfish. She tied a bunch of white bucktail under the hook, and two olive-grey saddle hackles on top of the hook, then took her creation to the Upper Dam pool, where she promptly hooked a 6 lb, 13 oz brook trout. She entered this fish into a contest which was being held by Field And Stream, winning second prize, and receiving a flood or orders for her new pattern. She found herself in the flytying business.
The Grey Ghost evolved a bit from the simple pattern which she caught the prize-winning brookie on, and she continued to create other patterns...some of which caught fish, others of which caught fishermen! Her commercial pattern trademark was a head that featured a band of a contrasting color thread. Black heads typically featured a red band, while red heads featured a black band. She also tied her streamers in a unique way for the time, by attaching the wings on the side of the hook shank, instead of the top as most streamer wings were/are attached. This became known as the "Rangeley Style".
The patterns featured below were not all tied in the true Rangeley Style devised by Stevens, as this style of tying obscures the body of the streamer. I've taken the liberty to move the wings up a bit so that at least a portion of the body can be seen in the images.

Some Patterns Originated By Ms. Stevens

Allie's Favorite

  • Head: black with red band
  • Tag: flat silver tinsel
  • Body: red floss
  • Rib: flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: a small bunch of bucktail extending beyond the bend of the hook, then a small bunch of orange hackle barbules, then black hackle barbules
  • Wing: 5-6 strands of peacock herl, over which are two orange saddle hackles, flanked by two black saddle hackles of equal length
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Artula

  • Head: black with red band
  • Tag: flat silver tinsel
  • Tail: soft orange hackle barbules
  • Body: orange floss
  • Rib: flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: a small bunch of white bucktail, then dark green hackle barbules, then brown hackle barbules
  • Wing: two dark green saddle hackles, flanked by two black saddle hackles which are slightly shorter than the green ones.
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Blue Devil

  • Thread: black
  • Tag: flat silver tinsel
  • Body: black floss
  • Rib: flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: a small bunch of white bucktail extending beyond the bend of hook, under which are orange hackle barbules
  • Wing: 6-8 strands of peacock herl, over which are two orange saddle hackles, flanked on each side by a dark blue saddle hackle.
  • Shoulders: light brownish - grey partridge breast feathers
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Colonel Bates

  • Thread: red
  • Tail: narrow section of red goose quill
  • Body: medium flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: dark brown saddle hackle barbules
  • Wing: two yellow saddle hackles flanked by two slightly shorter white saddle hackles
  • Shoulders: grey mallard flank feathers 1/2 length of wing
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Dazzler

  • Thread: black
  • Body: flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: gray squirrel tail, under which are yellow hackle barbules
  • Wing: two yellow-dyed grizzly saddle hackles
  • Shoulders: red-dyed duck breast feathers
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Don's Delight

  • Head: black
  • Tail: red hackle barbules
  • Body: medium flat gold tinsel
  • Throat: white hackle barbules
  • Wing: four white saddle hackles
  • Shoulders: golden pheasant tippets, 1/3 length of wing
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

General MacArthur

  • Head: Blue, then White, then Red
  • Tail: red hackle barbules
  • Body: medium flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: dark blue hackle barbules, then white hackle barbules, then red hackle barbules, all the same length
  • Wing: two white saddle hackles, flanked by two grizzly saddle hackles, flanked by two light blue saddle hackles
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Golden Witch

  • Head: black
  • Tag: flat silver tinsel
  • Body: orange floss
  • Rib: narrow flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: white bucktail, then a small bunch of grizzly hackle barbules
  • Wing: 4-5 strands of peacock herl, then four grizzly saddle hackles
  • Shoulders: golden pheasant tippets 1/3 length of wing
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Green Beauty

  • Head: black
  • Tag: flat silver tinsel
  • Body: orange floss
  • Rib: flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: white bucktail extending beyond the barb of the hook, then a golden pheasant crest curving upward
  • Wing: 5-6 strands of peacock herl, over which are 4 olive-green saddle hackles.
  • Shoulders: wood duck or dyed mallard, 1/3 the length of wing
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Green Hornet

  • Head: black
  • Body: flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: white bucktail to bend of hook
  • Wing: 4 strands of peacock herl, over which are 2 olive saddle hackles flanked by 2 badger saddle hackles
  • Shoulders: 2 heavily-barred "church window" body feathers from a male ringneck pheasant
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Gray Ghost

  • Head: black
  • Tag: flat silver tinsel
  • Body: orange floss
  • Rib: flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: 4-5 strands of peacock herl, then a small bunch of white bucktail, both extending to the bend of hook. Under this is a bunch of white hackle barbules, then a golden pheasant crest feather as long as the shoulder, and curving upward.
  • Wing: A golden pheasant crest feather curving downward, over which are four olive-gray saddle hackles

  • Shoulders: silver pheasant body feather
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Greyhound

  • Head: red
  • Tag: flat silver tinsel
  • Tail: red hackle barbules
  • Body: red floss
  • Rib: flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: 6-7 strands of peacock herl, then a small bunch of white bucktail both extending beyond the bend of the hook. Under this is a small bunch of red hackle barbules.
  • Wing: four light grey saddle hackles

  • Shoulders: jungle cock body feather extending 1/3 the length of the wing
  • Cheeks: jungle cock, tied short

Judge

  • Head: red
  • Body: flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: white hackle barbules
  • Wing: four red-dyed grizzly saddle hackles
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Lady Miller

  • Head: black
  • Tag: flat silver tinsel
  • Body: black floss
  • Rib: flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: white hackle barbules
  • Wing: two orange saddle hackles, flanked by two white saddle hackles
  • Shoulders: jungle cock neck feather, 1/2 length of wing
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Morning Glory

  • Head: red
  • Body: red floss
  • Rib: flat silver tinsel

  • Throat: white bucktail extending just beyond the bend of hook, then a black silver pheasant crest, and small bunch of blue hackle barbules, both as long as shoulder
  • Wing: a black silver pheasant crest feather as long as the saddle hackles, and curving downward, over which are four bright yellow saddle hackles
  • Shoulders: red mackaw body feather or substitute, 1/3 length of wing. (I used the reddish flank feather from a male golden pheasant)
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Shang's Favorite

  • Head: black
  • Body: red floss
  • Rib: flat silver tinsel

  • Throat: white bucktail, length of hook, then a bunch of grey hackle barbules
  • Wing: 4-5 strands of peacock herl, over which are two grizzly saddle hackles
  • Shoulders: red-dyed duck breast feather
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Shang's Special

  • Head: black
  • Body: flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: white bucktail
  • Wing: 4-5 strands of peacock herl, over which are two complete jungle cock neck feathers.
  • Shoulders: red-dyed duck breast feathers
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Tomahawk

  • Head: black
  • Tag: flat silver tinsel
  • Body: red floss
  • Rib: flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: 5-6 strands of peacock herl, then a small bunch of white bucktail, then blue hackle barbules
  • Wing: four medium blue saddle hackles flanked by 2 orange saddle hackles slightly shorter than the blue hackles
  • Shoulders: golden pheasant green body feathers, 1/3 length of wing
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Will Ketch

  • Head: red
  • Body: flat gold tinsel
  • Throat: white bucktail the length of the wing, under which are long white hackle barbules, extending to the hook bend
  • Wing: two chocolate brown saddle hackles, flanked by two yellow saddle hackles, slightly shorter than the brown ones
  • Shoulders: first a silver doctor blue duck breast feather, then a red duck breast feather, slightly shorter than the blue one
  • Cheeks: jungle cock

Wizard

  • Head: black
  • Body: red floss
  • Rib: flat silver tinsel
  • Throat: 5-6 strands of peacock herl, then white bucktail, both extending beyond the barb of the hook. Then a small bunch of white hackle barbules
  • Wing: two black saddle hackles flanked by two yellow saddle hackles
  • Cheeks: jungle cock
Sections: 

Comments

Hi,Carrie G. Stevens...

Hi,Carrie G. Stevens is a great aunt of mine. Just had a long conversation with a customer of mine who's son in law is the inventor of the Cut throat leader and did a quick search for Carrie to see what is written. A relative of mine, Monk, in Maine has has one of the largest Rainbows taken in Maine with the gray Ghost mounted in his living room.

I have been tying fo...

I have been tying for a while now, years. I am going to try some streamers. I am amazed by their beauty. They don't look all that hard

I have an original F...

I have an original FRS Fancy do you know who the FRS stands for ??? Lived in rangeley for a number of years

.

Log in or register to pre-fill name on comments, add videos, user pictures and more.
Read more about why you should register.
 

Since you got this far …


The GFF money box

… I have a small favor to ask.

Long story short

Support the Global FlyFisher through several different channels, including PayPal.

Long story longer

The Global FlyFisher has been online since the mid-90's and has been free to access for everybody since day one – and will stay free for as long as I run it.
But that doesn't mean that it's free to run.
It costs money to drive a large site like this.

See more details about what you can do to help in this blog post.